Thursday, September 15, 2016

Pellatt and Green, premier glassmakers in Britain in the 19th century, have had their work and their premises documented across the Internet--Wikipedia has good basic information on the company and the Pellatt family.

But I thought it might be interesting to see what the newspapers of the era had to say about the company. They were in business more than fifty years in London, and their name was widely recognized for excellence. They also had a presence in the philanthropic community:

They appear for many years in the lists of donors for the above association and their donation listed is generous -- twenty pounds.

They took part in community events such as Illuminations. The Caledonian Mercury reported on events in London celebrating the Allied success at the Battle of Vittoria--note the last sentence:

Caldonian Mercury Saturday 10 July 1813

Like any long-running business they had their difficulties:

Morning Chronicle - Thursday 19 February 1818

Tragedies that occurred among their staff were also newsworthy:

Bury and Norwich Post - Wednesday 05 February 1812

Their glassware was beautiful --

This claret glass was part of a table service ordered by Mr Bayard from America in 1818 for his daughter's wedding gift.

NYPL Digital Collections -- This illustration of Pellatt and Green products is from a mid-19th century book of glass designs

But it was their innovations and inventions that were reported in the newspapers:

Morning Chronicle - Saturday 30 March 1811

The 'illuminators' were a great success and widely adopted by ships.

Pellatt and Green was a successful multi-generational business, and a prominent part of London's business scene, and its history. The newspapers confirm its eminence, and its celebrity.

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I'm delighted that you found your way to my blog! I hope you will find tidbits of information here to interest you, something perhaps to spur your curiosity in the Regency period, or the name of an author or a book title that will provide you with hours of enjoyment.